Hidden Enterprises
by The Little House Scribe
Summary: When Ginny and Luna disappear from the Hogwarts Express, the Weasleys must piece together what happened before it's too late, but trouble is brewing in Hogwarts...
1. The Girls that are Gone

**The girls that are gone.**

It was Christmas, and it was supposed to be a time of great rejoicing for all. But there was very little to be happy about. In Shell Cottage, the newlyweds, Bill and Fleur were playing host to Bill's despondent brother Ron, who had left his two best friends, Hermione Granger and Harry Potter, and was now feeling exceedingly guilty for having done so.

In the parental home, the Burrow, the mood was also dreary. They were under surveillence by the ministry; Ron Weasley was supposed to be home, sick with spattergroit, (The Family Ghoul was disguised for this purpose), and to make matters worse, someone was missing from the Burrow.

Ginny Weasley had never arrived at Kings Cross.

Molly and Arthur Weasley had been waiting for the train to chug into the station on December 24th (Headmaster Severus Snape had decreed that the normal long Christmas Holiday would be shortened to just a couple of days), and even after searching up and down the carriages, they found no sign of Ginny. (They frequently bumped into Xenophilius Lovegood, who was fruitlessly searching for his own daughter. Xenophilus and Luna lived over the hill from the Burrow, and he seemed certain that it was his pro-Potter writings in his publication, the Quibbler, that led to Luna's disappearance.

Ron Weasley had been planning to leave to try to find Harry and Hermione, but Ginny's disappearance had changed his plans. Instead he decided to face his family and help find Ginny instead.

Appearances meant everything. Ron couldn't just arrive at the Burrow, nor could the whole family waltz off to Shell Cottage and leave him sick in the attic.

Arthur's Weasel Patronus popped into Weasley's Wizarding Wheezes and delivered a message to the twin proprietors, Fred and George, who shut up shop early and arrived at the Burrow. Only Percy, the estranged third son, and Charlie, who was in distant Romania, were absent from the Burrow or Shell Cottage.

In the end, Fleur Weasley provided the answer. Whilst the inhabitants of the Burrow and Shell Cottage visited each other, Fleur stayed at the Burrow and supposedly watched over Ron, whilst the Weasleys went over to Shell Cottage to take care of the Ginny situation. It wasn't a perfect solution, but it did seem to be working in keeping the noses of the Ministry away.

The sight of Ron at Shell Cottage came as a surprise to his family, but they put that matter aside to focus on Ginny. It was Ron, though, who began to organise the possibilities.

"So, we're sure that Ginny left Hogwarts?" Ron questioned.

Molly Weasley, who had investigated this, nodded affirmatively. She had gone to Hogwarts, and found the gates shut. Minerva McGonagall had arrived at long last (muttering under her breath about Snape), and had told the distressed Mrs Weasley that she had personally placed Ginny on board the seventh carriage (alongside Luna Lovegood). Thanking the Transfiguration Professor, Mrs Weasley had departed.

"She was with Luna, according to Professor McGonagall." Mrs Weasley said.

"The most probable scenario is that she was taken along with Luna." Ron said. "But the question remains." Ron frowned. "Is who is it the Death Eaters were after."

Mrs Weasley gave a start. "Well, obviously it's Luna - with the Quibbler writing all that it has been, the Death Eaters wanted to get Xenophilius to toe the line."

"Or they were after Ginny, and Luna was just collateral." Ron replied. "Either way, I can't see either Ginny or Luna letting the other go without a fight."

"What would they want with my little girl. She's been a good girl, considering the situation she's been in. She said she'd keep her head down."

Fred snorted inappropriately. "Don't believe that. From what we've heard, Ginny, Luna and Neville restarted Dumbledore's Army."

Mrs Weasley's eyes widened with alarm. Ginny's sparse letters had made no allusions to this fact, and Mrs Weasley was greatly distressed by her daughter's irresponsibility.

George grinned proudly. "I heard that they're even sticking up to Snape."

Mrs Weasley glared darkly at the two of them. "And now look where it's got her, honestly,I don't know why you must always go looking for trouble."

Ron cleared his throat. "Anyway, for whatever reason, it seems that Luna and Ginny have been taken. Either of them might have been taken for their own actions, or leverage."

"If Ginny has been taken for leverage," Mr Weasley began. "Then surely there would be some contact from her captors soon."

"Yes, if…" Ron trailed off, twitching uncomfortably.

Bill narrowed his eyes at Ron's lanky form. "If, what?"

"If it's us that they want something from?"

"Well, who else would it be?" Bill asked quietly. "Outside this family, who would be influenced by Ginny's capture?"

Ron shuffled and sat down; he seemed unwilling to divulge any more information.

"Son." Mr Weasley reached a hand over to Ron's shoulder. "Please. You need to tell us anything you can. Ginny's life is at stake."

Looking excruciatingly uncomfortable, Ron blurted out the answer. "SheandHarryweredating."


	2. The Decisions of Dumbledore's Army

**The Decisions of Dumbledore's Army**

Minerva McGonagall strode up the grassy knoll that surrounded Hogwarts, a charm stopping the dark grey rain from pelting her as she went. McGonagall strode mud onto the flagstones of the entrance hall, not evening the snarling Argus Filch a second glance as she went straight to the Headmaster's office.

"Snape." McGonagall seethed at the greasy-haired man sitting in Albus's chair.

"Headmaster." Snape corrected, not even bothering to look at McGonagall.

"Headmaster Snape." McGonagall forced out through gritted teeth. "What is the meaning of this?"

Snape looked up from whatever it was he was working on. "Professor McGonagall, if you insist on barging in here whilst I am engaged in important work and then beginning to blather on about something even I cannot understand, be my guest, but don't expect me to understand what you're on about."

"Luna Lovegood and Ginny Weasley." McGonagall hissed. "They never made it to Kings Cross."

"Are you sure they made it onto the train? Lovegoods' head should be raining down on us all, it's in the clouds that much, and Weasley is probably more empty headed than Lockhart."

"Yes, I'm sure." McGonagall replied. "I personally ensured that they were on the train."

"Then, why are you here, Professor? Surely it is you who should be interrogated instead of me."

Professor McGonagall leaned down to stare Severus Snape in the eye, but Snape was unblinking.

"You are responsible for the lives of the students until they leave the school. The last time I checked, the Hogwarts Express was school property." McGonagall informed Snape.

"I am very well aware of my responsibilities, Professor." Snape replied.

Amycus Carrow, who barged into McGonagall when he arrived in the Headmaster's office to talk to Snape, leered over at the Transfiguration Professor. McGonagall didn't spare him a single glance.

"That is all, Professor McGonagall. Good day." Snape casually dismissed her. Seeing no other choice, McGonagall left.

"Bitch." Carrow muttered as she passed.

0o0o0o0

"Finnegan! What happens when a Wizard mates with a filthy muggle half-breed?" Alecto Carrow demanded in her Muggle Studies Class.

"I don't know, Professor." Seamus answered. "I've never shagged my brother."

"CRUCIO!" Alecto shrieked, her wand sending Seamus in paroxysms on the floor. Neville Longbottom helped Seamus to his feet.

"He needs to go the hospital wing." Neville told Alecto.

"He needs to sit down, and you shaddup, or you'll get the same. Nohw, degenerate muggle filth are a threat to our species…"

"Honestly, Seamus, why do you do this to yourself?" Pavarti Patil asked as she ministered Seamus.

Seamus didn't reply, but winced as Pavarti dabbed his shoulder. Neville came over to check on him.

"How's it going?" Neville asked, having been checking on the whole of Gryffindor House after the end of the days' lessons. The Carrows had taken their classes deep into what would be the holidays, and Gryffindor House was suffering for it. Ginny had said it would be even harder when and Luna left to visit their families over Christmas, and she was right.

"_Honestly, I'm beginning to think we should go into hiding." Ginny had told Neville. _

_Neville frowned. Ginny wasn't the type to hide when others we're in danger, but Seamus angrily interjected. "Yeah, go and save our necks whilst the little ones are being tortured by the Carrows!" _

"_I wasn't suggesting abandoning them, Seamus." Ginny stared Seamus down. "But Luna and I are leaving soon, and we might not be coming back, even if we wanted to. If we use the Room of Requirement, you might be able to have a safe hiding spot to pick your battles with Snape and the Carrows. Right now, we're struggling to help ourselves let alone all the younger students."_

_Neville began to speak; where Ginny and Seamus were more rash than he was, Neville was calmer, and his voice was respected in the group. "It might help our tactics if we went into hiding, but the whole school can't hide in the Room of Requirement, and we can't just do, we must teach the others, because next year, Seamus and I won't be here, then you and Luna will leave." Neville told Ginny. "Still, we'll be ready if it comes to a point where our continued presence at Hogwarts is untenable."_

It was going to be a long Christmas.


	3. Gathering Intel

**Gathering Intel**

Mrs Weasley started. Bill sank back into his chair. Fred and George looked over at Ron with astonishment in their eyes. Mr Weasley took a moment to wipe his glasses.

"How many people knew?" Mr Weasley wiped his brow.

"Probably the entire school." Ron answered. "It began rather...suddenly."

The news that Ginny Weasley had been going out with Harry Potter interested a great many members of her family, who were now faced with the terrible reality that Ginny might've been taken to lure Harry out.

"Wait a minute." Bill began. "You said they were dating, not they are dating. Is that because they're apart and unable to be together, or are they not together at all anymore?"

"They split up." Ron answered.

Fred and George exchanged significant looks. "So that's why she was so distressed, I had no idea…" Fred said.

"Well, how long were they together?" Bill pressed.

"A few weeks or so…"

"Well, maybe it wasn't important enough to register on You-Know-Who's radar of things to coerce Harry with. Hopefully the Death Eaters just see it as a spring fling and that's all."

"No matter why, the fact remains that Ginny is gone." Mr Weasley reminded them. "Now, we've sent Charlie a message and he should be arriving as soon as he can."

"Dad, what about Percy?" George asked.

Mr Weasley looked deeply pained at the mention of his third son. "I'm afraid he won't be coming."

"Does he know?" Fred added.

"If he does." Mrs Weasley had tears in her eyes as Mr Weasley responded. "We didn't tell him. We couldn't risk it."

0o0o0o0

Severus Snape departed Hogwarts for Malfoy Manor. Lucius Malfoy was Lord of the manor in name only; whilst Voldemort was away, as he was at the moment, Bellatrix Lestrange was the domineering individual.

"Good evening, Bella." Snape said politely. "I'm wondering if you have any knowledge about a possible incident that took place on the Hogwarts Express today."

Bellatrix puffed out her chest. "Severus, do come in. We're having roast. And...what incident?"

"Bella, the disappearance of two pure-blood witches is bound to attract attention."

"They're blood traitors, Snape, I don't see why you're so concerned."

"They may be blood traitors, but their blood is pure. And we're educating them on the other front, Bella."

"Well, she'll certainly get education here." Bellatrix grinned maliciously, but Snape did not smile.

"She…"

Bellatrix's eyes widened as she realised what she'd said and revealed.

"_I'm sure you can take care of this while I'm away, Bellatrix. Xenophilius has been insolent for far too long." _

"_Yes of course, my Lord." Bellatrix replied, scraping her nose on the floor at Voldemort's feet. "And if she has companions?"_

"_Use your judgement, Bella."_

_Bellatrix had taken Fenrir Greyback, along with Jugson and a few Dark Wizards and Witches that had not yet taken the mark. Their arrival on the train was met with no trouble, and Bellatrix found Luna alone in the compartment. Six on one meant the fight was very short lived, despite them being unable to take Luna Lovegood completely by surprise._

_Unfortunately, Luna hadn't been on her own for the whole trip; Ginny Weasley was returning from the bathroom and found the Death Eaters in the compartment, and responded in her typically defiant manner._

_Jugson and the three junior Death Eaters fell in quick succession. Trying to keep Lovegood under control, Bellatrix managed to portkey herself and her captive back to the manor, leaving Greyback to deal with Ginny Weasley._

_Ginny hadn't been seen since, and Greyback hadn't reported back. Although Bellatrix's mission was a success, Lord Voldemort was bound to be sorely disappointed in the performance of the Death Eaters. Four taken out in quick succession was unacceptable losses, especially when it came against an underaged witch. _

_But what was immensely clear was this: Dumbledore's Army was becoming too great a threat._

0o0o0o0

Fleur Delacour blinked to clear her eyes…surely she was mistaken.

0o0o0o0

Percy Weasley fiddled with the dial on his portable radio. He had become disenfranchised with the path the ministry had taken for months, but had been unable and unwilling to try to reconnect himself with his family. He barely saw his father.

Whilst eating his Christmas Eve Dinner alone, Percy stumbled upon a Pottermore broadcast by complete accident.

"...In more sombre news, Hogwarts Students Luna Lovegood and Ginny Weasley have not been since boarding the Hogwarts Express. We at Potterwatch express our deepest sympathies for them and their families and hope for their safe return."

The door to the Burrow rattled as Percy banged upon it.

"Oh, hello." Percy began, noticing a blonde woman answer the door. "Delacour, isn't it?"

"Weasley now. What is it you want?"

"Can I talk to my family, please? It's really quite urgent." Percy replied, not entirely comfortable at being denied access to the Burrow by the lady who bore only a passing familiarity.

"Wait here." Fleur commanded, and shut the door on his face.

Percy was miffed at the treatment, but he couldn't really complain about. Still, he had been told not to move by Delacour, and he thought that she had rather more weight in the family than he did at the moment.

But the distracting pull of a Silver Horse was becoming difficult to ignore.


End file.
